PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
WILDLIFE CRIME (19 March 2002)

That this House recognises that many species of wildlife in the UK, which are already under increasing threat due to habitat loss and damage, are becoming increasingly endangered to the point of extinction due to illegal exploitation through persecution and trade; recognises also that many wildlife criminals are actively engaged in mainstream crime and that very few police forces have full-time wildlife liaison officers; and calls on the Government to make wildlife and environmental crime a recordable offence for Home Office statistics, to ensure that public resources are made available to fund the appointment of a Police Wildlife Officer for each force, or for regional wildlife officers to be seconded to English Nature, and to consider the need to consolidate all existing wildlife protection into one new Act and extend the provisions under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to all protected species, thereby facilitating policing and enforcement.

Sponsored by:
Mrs Helen Clark (Labour)